Private Villa with Pool - advice please

[Eve4Walle]

We are off to stay in a relative's villa in Spain next Tuesday for 9 days. The villa has a private pool. I have spent the last few months worrying myself silly about my DS (aged 2.6) falling in and drowning.

I have a life jackets for him which he will be wearing most of the time I think, and DH and I will be there and vigilant, but does anyone else have any practical advice on how to keep him safe?

I am so worried it's making me not want to go, and nobody else helps - my Mum keeps telling me how worried she is and the member of family who the villa belongs to says she is very worried too.

Lock the windows and doors so your son can't get outside alone?

Is it fenced off or has a cover ? Agree he does n't go outside without either one of you and you need to drill this into him.

My mother has a villa with an unfenced pool, I know a friend of hers with a toddler has said she wouldn't go there until her daughter is older. I think it will be very hard work for you to watch him constantly, which is what will be required ALL the time that you are at the villa. You could lock the windows and doors, but unless the villa has air conditioning you will be very hot and uncomfortable, I got back from Spain on Tuesday and the temperature has been over 40 centigrade most days and the nights have been incredibly hot. I think you are right to be worried, but you will have to decide whether it is worth it for you to go ahead despite that and accept that it will be hard work.

I think you're right to be worried too. I have a friend whose nephew drowned in a private pool a couple of months ago - he was two and a half and his dad left him for a couple of minutes and there were other people in the pool and around at the time. No-one saw it happen. It freaked me out so much I nearly cancelled our holiday to a gite in france with a pool (I have a three year-old boy and a more sensible 5 year old girl, but neither can swim properly). Anyway we went but only because it was fenced and alarmed and we were still paranoid about them trying to get in and didn't let them go outside unsupervised at all, which was a bit wearing but a small price to pay in my opinion. When I was worrying myself to death about it I did come across a wrist band alarm which a child can wear and sets off an alarm if they fall in water - can't remember what it was called but a google search would show it up. It was quite expensive (£200) but thought I'd mention it. Think it was called a turtle or something. We also really drummed it in to our kids that if they tried to get in the pool area then we would be sent home by the owner and got her to say it to them as well - they totally bought it and kept well clear. To be honest I'm sure that because you are so worried about it and will be so vigilant then it's extremely unlikely that anything will happen, but you can't be too careful, and it really brings it home when it happens in a family you know. x

You can get pool alarms but they are expensive....they are wristbands the child wears that are linked to a sensor.

You will have to accept that close supervision is required at all times and you need to ensure that no wandering can take place at night.

just found what I was talking about - is called a safety turtle alarm - they are £168 on www.safewateralarms.co.uk. Says they featured them on Super Nanny but I don't know about that - might be worth it if it gives you peace of mind. Hope that helps

Yes, that is the one I was thinking of, highlystrung.

The fact you are so nervous is bound to make you more vigilant and him therefore safer.

I don't want to worry you more but we were once swimming in a small indoor pool with 3 dc when dd2 (who had had arm bands on while swimming for the last hour) decided to jump in at the deep end with no arm bands on. Thankfully dh was right next to her at the time and very promptly fished out a spluttering shocked dripping little girl. So just be careful about the life jacket as it might make him over confident.

I am also paranoid about this, but have taken all my DDs on holidays where there are pools. It is definately more hard work if a a private pool as there are no other eyes around the pool. Our 3 year old wears the flotation jacket all the time when wearing a swimming costume and just knows it is part of going swimming. We did armbands too when actually in the pool when she was very little as the flotation jacket doesn't keep you completely afloat..... Agree with other posters, keep vigilant and secure outside doors if you aren't outside. Other trick maybe to show your DS that water can be scary by letting him sink without the jacket on - obviously while you are in the pool!! (this could backfire if he enjoys it!) This worked with mine as she won't go in the water now without it on! The fact you are aware is the most important factor and I agree with yesway's comment above.

Hi,

Have been on 2 villa holidays with my kids and my latest one was hard work with my dd (15 months) but my parents came and we were able to go inside and lock up when we were too hot/dd had enough etc so no escape. My son is 5 and can swim but knows to never venture out there alone and we always had an eye on him too. You just have to be soooo careful, but I think they are the best holidays, much prefer them to hotels etc, so peaceful, no other kids by the pool, your son will love it and so will you, just be vigilant.